The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has written to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, asking the Supreme Court to expedite judgment in its appeal.
The party warned that further delay could adversely affect its chances of participating in the 2027 general elections.
It wrote through its legal representative, Shuaibu Aruwa, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who outlined a number of concerns regarding the yet-to-be-determined appeal before the apex court.
The pending appeal involves the Senator David Mark-led National Working Committee, as well as Nafiu Bala-Gombe, who is also claiming leadership of the party, and four other respondents.
In the letter, the party stressed that the recent actions of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), regarding the derecognition of the party’s leadership, have left it uncertain about its fate, despite maintaining its status as a registered political party in the country.
The apex court had, a week ago, reserved judgment in the appeal for a date it promised to communicate to lawyers representing all parties involved.
READ ALSO: Supreme Court Reserves Judgment In ADC Leadership Tussle
The internal agitation within the ADC comes against the backdrop of the May 30 deadline, which the Electoral Act 2026 sets for political parties to submit the names of their candidates.
Last week, lawyers representing both parties adopted their briefs of argument for and against the appeal before five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Garba Mohammed. The Supreme Court thereafter reserved judgement to a date that will be communicated to the parties.
Counsel to David Mark, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), in urging the court to allow the appeal, submitted that the apex court had, on March 21, 2025, put an end to the issue before the court when it held that “no court has jurisdiction to entertain cases bordering on internal affairs of political parties”.
Okutepa therefore urged the apex court to allow the appeal and hold that the trial court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain a suit bordering on the ADC’s internal matters.
Counsel to Nafiu Gombe, Robert Emukpero (SAN), however, urged the apex court to reject the appeal and affirm the judgment of the lower court, which held that the appellant’s case was premature and dismissed it.
A three-member panel of the appellate court had dismissed the appeal of David Mark challenging the jurisdiction of Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to entertain the suit by Gombe against the leadership of the ADC.
The appellate court, in its decision, held that the appeal was not only premature but also brought without leave of the trial court.
The appellate court subsequently ordered that the matter be returned to the trial for expeditious hearing, adding that parties should maintain the status quo ante bellum.
Following the order of the status quo, INEC subsequently de-recognised the leadership of the Mark-led leadership pending the resolution of the authentic leadership of the ADC by the court.
Dissatisfied, Mark approached the apex court to challenge the ruling of the appellate court as well as an order staying the order for maintenance of status quo ante bellum.
Rather than taking the motions filed in the appeal, the apex court directed parties to file their briefs for and against the appeal.
The post ADC Writes CJN, Seeks Expedited Judgment In Supreme Court Appeal appeared first on Channels Television.
